[House Report 105-328]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                    105-328
_______________________________________________________________________


 
 MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS WILDERNESS AND ERNEST F. COE VISITOR CENTER, 
                        EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK
                                _______
                                

October 21, 1997.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


  Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 136]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 136) to amend the National Parks and Recreation Act of 
1978 to designate the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and 
to amend the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion 
Act of 1989 to designate the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, 
having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an 
amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.
  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

SECTION 1. MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS WILDERNESS AND ERNEST F. COE 
                    VISITOR CENTER, EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK.

  (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
          (1) Marjory Stoneman Douglas, through her book, ``The 
        Everglades: River of Grass'' (1947), defined the Everglades for 
        the American people and for the world. Her book was the first 
        to stimulate widespread understanding of the Everglades 
        ecosystem and ultimately served to awaken the desire to restore 
        its health.
          (2) In her 107th year, Mrs. Douglas is the sole surviving 
        member of the original group of people who devoted decades of 
        selfless effort to establish Everglades National Park.
          (3) When the water supply and ecology of the Everglades, both 
        within and outside the park, became threatened by drainage and 
        development, Mrs. Douglas dedicated the balance of her life to 
        the defense of the Everglades through extraordinary personal 
        effort and by inspiring countless other people to take action.
          (4) For these and many other accomplishments, the President 
        awarded Mrs. Douglas the Medal of Freedom on Earth Day, 1994.
          (5) Ernest F. Coe (1886-1951) was a leader in the creation of 
        Everglades National Park. He organized the Tropic Everglades 
        National Park Association in 1928 and was widely regarded as 
        the ``Father of Everglades National Park''.
          (6) As a landscape architect, Mr. Coe's vision for the park 
        recognized the need to protect south Florida's diverse wildlife 
        and their habitats for future generations. His original park 
        proposal included lands and waters subsequently protected 
        within Everglades National Park, the Big Cypress National 
        Preserve, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
          (7) Mr. Coe's leadership, selfless devotion, and commitment 
        to achieving this vision culminated in the authorization of 
        Everglades National Park by Congress in 1934. Afterwards, Mr. 
        Coe fought tirelessly and lobbied strenuously for establishment 
        of the park, finally realizing his dream in 1947. He 
        accomplished much of this work at his own expense, which 
        dramatically demonstrated his commitment to establishment of 
        the park.
  (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to commemorate the 
vision, leadership, and enduring contributions of Marjory Stoneman 
Douglas and Ernest F. Coe in the protection of the Everglades and the 
establishment of Everglades National Park.
  (c) Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness.--
          (1) Redesignation.--Section 401(3) of the National Parks and 
        Recreation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-625; 92 Stat. 3490; 16 
        U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended by striking out ``to be known as 
        the Everglades Wilderness'' and inserting ``to be known as the 
        Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness to commemorate the vision 
        and leadership shown by Mrs. Douglas in the protection of the 
        Everglades and the establishment of Everglades National Park''.
          (2) Notice of redesignation.--As part of the redesignation of 
        the ``Everglades Wilderness'' as the ``Marjory Stoneman Douglas 
        Wilderness'' under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior 
        shall provide such notification of the redesignation by signs, 
        materials, maps, markers, interpretive programs, and other 
        means (including changes in existing signs, materials, maps, 
        and markers) as will adequately inform the public of the 
        redesignation of the wilderness area and the reasons therefor.
          (3) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, 
        document, record, map, or other paper of the United States to 
        the ``Everglades Wilderness'' shall be considered to be a 
        reference to ``Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness''.
  (d) Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.--
          (1) Designation.--Section 103 of the Everglades National Park 
        Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 (16 U.S.C. 410r-7) is 
        amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
  ``(f) Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.--Upon completion of construction 
of the main visitor center facility at the headquarters of Everglades 
National Park, the Secretary of the Interior shall designate the 
visitor center facility as `The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center' to 
commemorate the vision and leadership shown by Mr. Coe in the 
establishment and protection of Everglades National Park.''.
          (2) Conforming amendment.--Subsection (e) of such section is 
        amended by striking ``Visitor Center'' and inserting ``Marjory 
        Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center''.
          (3) Technical correction.--Subsection (c)(2) of such section 
        is amended by striking ``personnally-owned'' and inserting 
        ``personally-owned''.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 136 is to amend the National Parks and 
Recreation Act of 1978 to designate the Marjory Stoneman 
Douglas Wilderness and to amend the Everglades National Park 
Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 to designate the Ernest F. 
Coe Visitor Center.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    H.R. 136 designates approximately 1.3 million acres of 
existing wilderness within the Everglades National Park as the 
``Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness,'' and would name a 
visitor center in Everglades City after Mrs. Douglas as well as 
name the recently completed main visitor center at Everglades 
National Park headquarters as ``The Ernest F. Coe Visitor 
Center.''
    Everglades National Park was dedicated in 1947 after 
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed legislation in 1934, 
authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to select an area for 
the site of the park. Everglades National Park consists of 1.5 
million acres and is known for its diverse wildlife and unusual 
wetland habitat. The Everglades' wilderness is the largest 
subtropical wilderness in the continental United States. The 
Everglades National Park has been designated a World Heritage 
Site, a Wetland of International Significance, and a Biosphere 
Reserve in recognition of its significance.
    The two individuals commemorated in H.R. 136 were 
instrumental in the events leading to the establishment of the 
Everglades National Park. In the years following the creation 
of the park, Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Coe continued to make 
significant contributions to the protection of the Everglades.
    In 1947, Mrs. Douglas published her landmark book on 
Florida's largest wetland ecosystem, ``The Everglades: River of 
Grass,'' which increased public awareness about the Everglades 
and resulted in national support for the establishment of 
Everglades National Park. Mrs. Douglas, who celebrated her 
107th birthday on April 6, 1997, has dedicated her entire life 
to the Everglades. In 1994, President Clinton awarded her the 
Medal of Freedom (America's highest civilian honor) in 
recognition of her achievements on behalf of the Everglades.
    In 1928, Mr. Coe organized the Tropical Everglades National 
Park Association, an organization dedicated solely to the 
creation of a south Florida national park, and served as its 
first executive secretary. Mr. Coe, a landscape architect, 
worked tirelessly for the next two decades to assure 
establishment of the Everglades National Park. His outstanding 
contributions earned him the recognition as ``The Father of 
Everglades National Park.'' Mr. Coe died in 1951.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 136 was introduced on January 7, 1997, by Congressman 
Peter Deutsch (D-FL) and Congressman Porter J. Goss (R-FL). The 
bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the 
Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public 
Lands. On April 10, 1997, the Subcommittee held a hearing on 
H.R. 136, where testimony was unanimous in support of the bill. 
The Administration strongly supports passage of H.R. 136. On 
July 31, 1997, the Subcommittee met to mark up H.R. 136. An 
amendment to indicate that Mrs. Douglas was now 107 years old 
was offered by Congressman James V. Hansen (R-UT), and adopted 
by voice vote. The bill was then ordered favorably reported to 
the Full Committee by voice vote. On September 10, 1997, the 
Full Resources Committee met to consider H.R. 136. No further 
amendments were offered, and the bill, as amended, was then 
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by 
voice vote.

            Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    With respect to the requirements of clause 2(l)(3) of rule 
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and clause 
2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, 
the Committee on Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

                   Constitutional Authority Statement

    Article I, section 8, and article IV, section 3 of the 
Constitution of the United States grant Congress the authority 
to enact H.R. 136.

                        Cost of the Legislation

    Clause 7(a) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the 
Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out 
H.R. 136. However, clause 7(d) of that Rule provides that this 
requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in 
its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill 
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                     Compliance With House Rule XI

    1. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(B) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, H.R. 
136 does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(D) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee has received no report of oversight findings and 
recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight on the subject of H.R. 136.
    3. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(C) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee has received the following cost estimate for H.R. 136 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washingotn, DC, September 18, 1997.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 136, a bill to 
amend the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 to 
designate the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and to amend 
the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 
1989 to designate the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                              James L. Blum
                                   (For June E. O'Neill, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 136--A bill to amend the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 
        to designate the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and to 
        amend the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act 
        of 1989 to designate the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center

    H.R. 136 would redesignate the Everglades Wilderness in 
Florida as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness. The 
Secretary of the Interior would be required to notify the 
public of the change by creating or modifying signs, maps, and 
other materials. The legislation also would name the new 
visitor facility at the Everglades National Park the Ernest F. 
Coe Visitor Center.
    CBO estimates that the cost to the federal government of 
implementing H.R. 136--primarily by revising existing signs and 
other materials--would be negligible. The legislation would not 
affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go 
procedures would not apply. H.R. 136 contains no private-sector 
or intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 and would not affect the budgets of 
state, local, or tribal governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. 
The estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                    Compliance With Public Law 104-4

     H.R. 136 contains no unfunded mandates.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the 
bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed 
to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is 
printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed 
is shown in roman):

      SECTION 401 OF THE NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION ACT OF 1978

                          designation of areas

  Sec. 401. The following lands are hereby designated as 
wilderness in accordance with section 3(c) of the Wilderness 
Act (78 Stat. 890; 16 U.S.C. 1132(c)), and shall be 
administered by the Secretary in accordance with the applicable 
provisions of the Wilderness Act:
          (1) * * *
          * * * * * * *
          (3) Everglades National Park, Florida, wilderness 
        comprising approximately one million two hundred and 
        ninety-six thousand five hundred acres and potential 
        wilderness additions comprising approximately eighty-
        one thousand nine hundred acres, depicted on a map 
        entitled ``Wilderness Plan, Everglades National Park, 
        Florida'', numbered 160-20,011 and dated June 1974, [to 
        be known as the Everglades Wilderness] to be known as 
        the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness to commemorate 
        the vision and leadership shown by Mrs. Douglas in the 
        protection of the Everglades and the establishment of 
        Everglades National Park.
          * * * * * * *
                              ----------                              


 SECTION 103 OF THE EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK PROTECTION AND EXPANSION 
                              ACT OF 1989

SEC. 103. ADMINISTRATION.

  (a) * * *
          * * * * * * *
  (c) Protection of Flora and Fauna.--The park shall be closed 
to the operation of airboats--
          (1) except as provided in subsection (d); and
          (2) except that within a limited capacity and on 
        designated routes within the addition, owners of record 
        of registered airboats in use within the addition as of 
        January 1, 1989, shall be issued nontransferable, 
        nonrenewable permits, for their individual lifetimes, 
        to operate [personnally-owned] personally-owned 
        airboats for noncommercial use in accordance with rules 
        prescribed by the Secretary to determine ownership and 
        registration, establish uses, permit conditions, and 
        penalties, and to protect the biological resources of 
        the area.
          * * * * * * *
  (e) [Visitor Center] Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor 
Center.--The Secretary is authorized and directed to expedite 
the construction of the visitor center facility at Everglades 
City, Florida, as described in the Development Concept Plan, 
Gulf Coast, dated February 1989, and upon construction shall 
designate the visitor center facility as ``The Marjory Stoneman 
Douglas Center'' in commemoration of the vision and leadership 
shown by Mrs. Douglas in the protection of the Everglades and 
Everglades National Park.
  (f) Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.--Upon completion of 
construction of the main visitor center facility at the 
headquarters of Everglades National Park, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall designate the visitor center facility as ``The 
Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center'' to commemorate the vision and 
leadership shown by Mr. Coe in the establishment and protection 
of Everglades National Park.